Date My Family's Boitumelo - 'I break myths about albinism'

By Chrizelda Kekana -
03 July 2018 - 13:06

Boitumelo
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Instead of the usual shade that is normal thrown towards Date My Family's bachelors, Boitumelo Mainganya, who lives with albinism, ignited a different conversation that stemmed from the confidence he carried.

The Limpopo-born poet was representing SA in Bahrain for a poetry event when his episode aired. He told TshisaLIVE in an exclusive interview that he was glad his presence on the dating show exposed a much deeper issue at hand.

"I was surprised to that black Twitter didn't come for me. That instead they were taken aback by my confidence and the way I carry myself. I don't know why people assume that because I am living with albinism, I would not be confident. After all, it is just a condition, it doesn't change the man I am. I can still be an educated, stylish and talented man. One full of potential."

Boitumelo is living with albinism and told TshisaLIVE that he expected that he would catch people's attention. He said he knew that his confidence would win people over.

Indeed, the stylish bachelor received mostly love from tweeps and Twitter said he broke many stereotypes about people living with albinism.

"I break myths about albinism daily just by being who I am. There are a lot of things that needs to be brought into the spotlight and my being on the show was bound to do that."

He said he wanted to show that albinism doesn't define who he is.

"I wanted to say to them: 'look this is just a condition I live with. It doesn't limit my potential or define me at all as a human being.' However, we can't not ignore the fact that people living with albinism are going through a tough time because of all these killings. They are being killed because people don't understand and they need to be educated."

Boitumelo's DMF episode even had Refilwe Modiselle, one of the most popular models living with albinism in SA, speaking out about the term "albino" and how it was problematic because of the stigma created around it.

"I just wish the #DateMyFamily producers/writers could have corrected this lady when they shot this or before it went to edit....she kept referring to "albino people" its not that please.... "it's people with albinism" it's a condition. "Albino" tends to have a stigma," she said on Twitter.

Boitumelo said the world should be looking out for him with his international poetry and motivational speaking gigs.

He's also looking to start his radio presenting career at Reality Waves, a Polokwane based online radio station.